Question

a data structure to store the start and endpoint of a range.

rangename      start     end

range1          10        11

range2          20        22

range3          0         5

now if i have to find the range in which a number ‘x’ may exist.

What would be the efficient way of storing this in c++ ?

I’m trying to use map. but then search to find the range might be expensive ( which i’m not sure of). Suggest a good data structure.

I should be able to find whether the element is present in a range or not. The ranges should not be mix and matched and no adjacent or other bounds.

If I need to a find an element 3, it is present in range 3, But an element 12 is not present at all. Just looping through cannot be an efficient way.

Answer 1

(I have changed this answer since the asker clarified that his ranges do not overlap.)

If the set of ranges does not change, you can use a sorted vector and binary search, as suggested in ravenspoint’s answer.

If the set of ranges changes over time, you might still use a sorted vector, or you might want to use a std::map. You need to try both and see which one is faster in that case.